Permanent increased funding to support long-term care facilities is long overdue and is an imperative for all older Minnesotans living in facilities, who need and deserve high-quality services provided by justly paid employees.

Gaining attention to their need for higher salaries and benefits, nursing home employees from seven facilities in the Twin Cities felt forced to abandon their posts and the people they serve by going on strike. More than 600 unionized workers went out on a 24-hour unfair labor practices walk-off March 5 announcing that low pay and long hours have pushed them to it. They are threatening a longer strike if their demands, which include a $25 an hour minimum wage, more affordable health insurance, a pension and higher staffing levels, go unheeded.

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